San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-05-18
THE TEXAS ICONOCLAST.
Editor Coyle Goes to the Alamo and
Breaks Down the Statue of a
ReDuted Saint

hepuLeO odlnu.
Yesterday there was considerable excite
ment on the Alamo plaza, when it was known
that Mr.. L. l. Coyle, editor of the South
Western Chronicle had taken a sledge ham
mer and smashed into pieces a statue stored
in the Alamo, which was known by the name
of Saint Theresa. The facts of the case are
best described by statement made to q
LIGHT reporter this morning by Tom Rife
who is custodian of the Alamo.
He says: 1.-The statute that was broken is
evidently that of a nun, but there is no real
authority for calling 1t by the name of Saint
Theresa or any other saint. 1t was found In
1866 when Sam Maverick, ST., was eXcayating
for building on which the Maverick bank is
now built, but the outbreak of cholera, which
then occurred, stopped all work on the site
The statue is work of early art in Texas
and was stored in the Alamo for preservation.
sometime Thereafter, some one connected with
the Quartermaster's department, which then
held the building, or some of Grenet's men,
daubed in black package-marking-ink square
and compass, enclosing the Masonic mystic
sign, q, Thus II remained until this day as
you now see on these pieces. remember that
Coyle visited the Alamo some time ago, |
can't say exactly when, but il was during the
gubernatorial election. COyle then COM
planned of the masonic emblem and said that
II was an insult to every Catholic in the state
took no notice of the affair, and had forgot
ten 1t until correspondence was brought to
me on the subject. 1t showed that Coyle
had complained to Governor Ross that he
In bis turn referred the matter to Mayor Cal
laghan, who sent the papers to Marshal
Shardein, who referred them to me for report.
reported clearly upon the matter and from
what heard of 1t, think the general opin-
ion was that 1t was a crankish complaint.
Yesterday little after noon Mr.. J. P. New
the Alamo, and was prepared to give it, but
Newcomb said that he would come Sne
again. did not see Coyle then, but
Ohcer hroeger said that he was around there.
Just about the time of closing yesterday Mr.
Newcomb came again, and, by request | went
upstairs with him to explain the historic
points that he said he wanted to know. had
not been there long when / heard a sound
that sounded like as some one was pounding
on the walls with heavy instrument. what
the h is thatT' said l to Newcomh. "Oh,
that's nothing" he answered, and as ali was
quiet went on giving him he information he
was in search of. Soon after the sound was
repeated and | came down stairs as quickly
S a. could 6rast,n When n. got there found
stored on the ground floor, in pieces
As l advanced he raised the sledge hammer
he was using. don't think that he intended
TO attack me, but that this action was an in
voluntary movement. / drew my pistol and
commanded him to drop the hammer, telling
him at the same time if he did not would kill
him. | advanced on him, pistol in hand; he
statue was then broken in pieces, as you see
1t. took him to the mayors office, and was
ordered by the mayor to make a charge of
disorderly conduct against him, and to sup
plement IT by another charge of malicious
damage. The first did, but the second | did
not, as l was Informed by the justices that,
under the law, the charge could not sbe main
tanned. That is all l know of the matter.
don't remember any other complaint being
made that the masonic emblem was an insult
to Catholicism"
har hn
hammer with which the statue was broken
was left by Mr.. COyle at Meyers saloon on
Monday, and on Tuesday Coyle called at the
saloon, got the hammer, concealed il under
formed his iconoclastic operation.
Coyle's faction is generally condemned as
that OF mad fanatic, and quite contrary to
the spirit of Texas freedom which places all
religions and societies upon an equal footing.
Coyle's defence is that he regards the
Masonic emblem as an insult to his, the Cath
Ole religion. He had complained to the gov
get what he regarded as satisfaction,
he took the law in his own hands He would
have blown up the Alamo with dynamite
rather than nave seen such an outrage-as
he calls it-exist.
In the recorders court this morning, when
Coyle was arraigned, Capt. Tom Rife, the Gus.
todian of the Alamo, gave his sworn evidence.
In effect as above detailed and Mr.. CoyIe was
asked IL he had anything to say. He said he
was satisfied, as he had destroyed the statue,
ne consluereu the statue an insult to every
Roman Catholic. Callaghan he knew to be a
bigot, and had found him such in the celebra-
ton of the downfall of Rome doing what no
man with an American spirit would do In do
Ing what he did yesterday he believed he had
struck blow at bigotry in America.
Then the recorder began to talk. He said he
had lived In San Antonio for 40 years, was a
Catholic, and he thought as good a
Catholic as ever Coyle dared to be. If Cath
olics in San Antonio were rid of such fellows
of his sort, the better it would be. He would
fine him 500, the full extent of the law and he
wished he could fine him more